The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1887-10-27
VOL. XVII.
EVOLUTION OF THE COLLAR.


Preachers Idca-How Collars arc Made
by the Million.
Half century since dandies were got
ten up to kill at hundred yards with
their necls swathed in, first, q stiff and
high standing collar thai reached its
points quite to the ears, and over that a
glossy satin or bombazine band Gtiifened
with haircloth and fastened around the
wearer's neck by strings tied behind.
This latter item Of gOrgeousncss was
sometimes replaced by q ''neckclOth," "
usually in gentlemen Of apoplectic ten
dency, which was nothing moro than q
generous silk handkerchief carefully
folded, wrapped around the collar and
terminating Ill graceful knot.
The collars worn there were oil the
productions of the domestic shrtmakcr,
and wore usually pant and parcel OF the
shirt. Cuffs welo unknown, except as
applied to outer garments, and that in
dispensable appendagc to the shirtsleeyc
which we know Ivy the name had reached
no greater stage of development than is
conveyed by tEeir primitive name Of
"wristbands." They were also attached
to the shirt The American trado in
separable collars CO lars and cuffs dates
from the year 1884, vixen q worldly
Methodist parson of Troy, n. Y, Ebe-
nezer Brown by name, shocked his good
neighbors by manufacturing dozen or
SO and peddling them about from a hard
basket. The scheme must have been Il
partial success. 1t at least started Il
small trade, which slumbered along in
different hands for IL good ten years,
when the time had come for some one to
arouse it and send the present industry
bounding through time.
al, /Nft No ittNNo 10
engaged in this branch of trade has
fixed up little family tree to prove that
ho was the grandfather Of one of their
members, thus clearly showing them
selves to be tho original Troy collar
house. Collar manufacturing has made
millionaires, and is turning them out by
half dozens every ten years. 1t is sad
to be u business which knows no duli
season and is proverbial for its ctInli-
ness and precision.
Of course the first rcady-mado collars
were but crude and clumsy limitations Of
the homc-factoried article. 1t Was q
long whilo before considerations Of style
crept i'll to pCrplcx botu maker and
wearer. For many years there were but
a few standard "sllape8" or "st} l>a, "
and those common to al manufacturers
and branded alike. Every man who
"Scnato" called it by the common name
and competed only in regard to the
quantity he could sell. Now every
maker has n dozen different styles to
name Generally with classical tCrms)
and copyright to himself twice ' ear;
although down at the bottom his shapes
arc ust as much like those of another
maker as i'll the old days.
The linen or muslin used in Tic manu-
facture of collars and cuffs varies from
ordinary to very fine. Among tue lad
ing manufacturers celebrated for the cX-
cellence OF their goods, only the finest
Irish linen is used. In many eases it lis
made especially to thcir order and for
their use. Manufacturers who sell mt
extremely low figures canuot afford to
use the upper grade linons' and there
fore purchase and use the cheaper nrti-
Gle. The linen is delivered to The man
ufacturera III pieces Of about sixty yards
each. The exact grade is carefully asCer-
tanned in tho collar factories by counting
the number of threads 10 an inch III the
fabric, which is done with specially
constructed combination Of magDit%ing
glass and scaled measure. The threads
vary from "fftcCn hundred" to "tWonty
three hundred," according to fncncss,
but the usual courts are from "twcnty"
to ''twenty hundred" for collar and
cuff manufacture.
Muslin used in tho process for inner
layers and backing is counted in much
the same way, but from scyonty-eight TO
eighty-two is considered uniformly good
for the purpose. The goods are cut to
measure by hand from o series OF maple
wood patterns, with u sharp steel blade.
Due allowance is give III this work fol
hN cti CT, i,ly 1Il,i ~
finally reduce the collar to its standard
market size.
The linen 'faCings' are then cutter.
lined" with the requisite phys Of muslin
two interlinings thus making four~ply
collar of the finished article, though fOl
cuffs four intcrinings are generally The
rule. In standing collars both back an(
front facings ere Of linen, in turndOwn>
only the outer, the concealed face being
of fine quality muslin. When the sever
al pieces of the collars are thus Jai(
together in dozens they are taken (,
another department., whore the inne1
side of tho band is branded with name
trademark and sido with indeliblc ink
and then each set Of pieces is firmly pnstet
together, inside out, with strong starcl
paste. They are then scwcd tightly 80
gothor along tho outer edges and sen
OutSlde 10 DC turned Dy announcer CldkS .
operatives altogether. These cola
turner's are deft-fngered earners OF pin
money, and do all this work at home
sepdiDg for and returning the matcria
to the factory. Turndown collars re
quire two turnings OF the sowed matclia
one for the cape and ono for tho bauC
which parts are stitched together lllt,
mately. Standnp collars nocessnril.
need only one turning. Button hole
are punched in the proper places rs
nero slit in the goods, and quickl.
bound on O special sewing machine.
second punch is then employed, whic
raises the stitching III the form of a nar
row rim with neat round eyeIet hole It
the top.
The finest buttonholos are handwor
throughout, but it is by no means
necessity to their sorviceRbility, Tb
finished collars arc then l0undricd 0c
oording to tho "Troy" method, in bj
hinder drums holding hundreds at
me, nnd ironed by passing thr
through q soric8 OF heated steel roller.